Services

Online ticket: The digital rail ticket

You can buy almost all offers as online tickets. Then you decide: save the train ticket as an online ticket (PDF) on your mobile device, load it into the DB Navigator app or take it with you on your journey as a printout.

Advantages of online tickets

Can be booked shortly before travel

Save ticket as digital PDF on your mobile device, load it into the DB Navigator app or print it out

How to book an online ticket

You will receive your booked ticket digitally as a PDF download and by e-mail. Save your PDF ticket on your laptop, tablet or smartphone for convenient inspection on the train.

Alternatively, you can download your ticket to your smartphone using the DB Navigator app. To do so, click on the link in the confirmation e-mail you will receive after booking.

You can also print out the ticket.

Frequently asked questions

How will I receive my online ticket after booking it?

The ticket is automatically displayed on your screen when the booking is completed. You will need the Adobe Reader on your computer to open the ticket.

You can also download the ticket to your computer: the download button is located on the booking confirmation page at the end of the booking process. You can save your ticket immediately and present it digitally to the ticket inspector on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail with your PDF ticket.

Our online tickets feature visual security features that make it possible to check them without using a scanner. We would therefore ask you to please ensure that visual elements (images) are not suppressed when you print your ticket out or display it on your mobile device. Please also make sure that the brightness of the screen is set as high as possible. If you want to access your ticket again at a later date, click here or call up the booking history in My Bahn.

What is a digital ticket?

Digital tickets are tickets you book online that you can use digitally. You will receive the digital ticket as a PDF file after booking and additionally by e-mail.

In the next step, you can save the digital ticket as an online ticket (PDF) on your mobile device or load it into the DB Navigator app as a mobile phone ticket. It is no longer necessary to print the ticket.

If online tickets or mobile phone tickets are not available on your selected route, you will be informed of this during booking.

How do I load a ticket into the DB Navigator app?

You have booked an online ticket and want to use it on your smartphone? For this, you need to download DB's app called the DB Navigator.

This is how it works:

1. If you are logged in your My Bahn customer account on the DB Navigator app, you can add your latest online ticket by refreshing the Tickets section.

2. You are not logged in on the DB Navigator app? Then add your ticket either directly into the app by clicking on the link in the booking confirmation e-mail or by entering your order number.

Can I book an online ticket for someone else?

To book an online ticket for somebody else, tick the "Ticket for another person" box in the "Ticket & Reservation" booking step.

In the next booking step ("Enter your personal details"), enter the details of the person for whom you are booking the ticket. The person travelling will then receive the ticket by e-mail. He or she can save the ticket as a PDF on a mobile device, load it into the DB Navigator app or print it out.

The system will use your payment details, so you do not need to change them.

Where is my reserved seat indicated on the online ticket?

Information on your reserved seat/s can be found in the middle section of the online ticket under "Your journey and reservation".

Where is the ticket's order number?

Your order number will be shown whenever you complete a booking on www.bahn.com as well as in the confirmation e-mail you will receive. You will also find the order number on your digital PDF or printed ticket under the barcode.

Registered customers can also call up the booking history in $url{My Bahn } to view all their bookings.

If you buy a ticket from a ticket machine, a travel agent or by phone, the 9-digit order number is printed in the bottom left and marked with a different colour.

How can I exchange an online ticket?

You can exchange an online ticket on bahn.com. Exchanges depend on the refund conditions.

If you are a registered customer, you can call up the booking history in your My Bahn customer account. If you bought a ticket without logging in, use the Add ticket function. You will need the order number of your ticket for this.

How are online tickets validated on the train?

When you are on the train, the train attendant scans the ticket's QR code and then checks the information on the scanner's screen against the name on your ID.

You can use the following forms of identification:

Passport

European government-issued ID card

Child's passport

BahnCard (in accordance with the Conditions of Carriage, a BahnCard is only valid in connection with a photo ID, which may have to be presented on occasion)

Electronic residency permit

Certificate for asylum applicants

Please note: driver's licences are not accepted as a form of identification for ticket inspection.

Can I receive my ticket by post?

Yes. To have your ticket sent to you by post, tick the "Order and receive ticket by post" box in the "Ticket & Reservation" booking step. Postage is EUR 4.90 and tickets normally take 2-3 days to arrive.

Why are some journeys not available as online tickets?

On some journeys abroad, staff from our partner rail operators may not be able to scan an online ticket. You can buy tickets for these journeys from a DB Travel Centre or a DB agency.

It is not possible to book online tickets for transport association services or for services not operated by DB.